Name: Mutton Seekh Kebab
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 g Ground Goat Meat, fine mince with 20% fat, double ground; ½ Onion, grated and squeezed completely dry; ¾ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1½ Green Chili Pepper, very finely minced; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped; ½ tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped; ½ tsp Garam Masala; ½ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder; ½ tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder; ½ tsp Ground Coriander; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper; ¾ tsp Salt, to taste; 1½ tbsp Butter, or ghee, melted, for basting

2 hr 35 mintotal

35 min hands-on2 hr hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Medium

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Method

Check that the mutton keema is completely dry. If there is any moisture left, pat it dry with kitchen paper.
Within a primary mixing vessel, unify the bone-dry keema, ginger-garlic paste, the radically dehydrated grated onion fibers, razor-thin green chillies, mint, and fresh coriander.
Add all the dry spices: garam masala, roasted cumin powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper and salt.
This is the step that binds the kebab: knead the meat hard by hand for 8-10 minutes. Do not skip it. The kneading breaks down the meat proteins so they lock together, turning the loose mince into a sticky, cohesive dough.
8–10 min
Cover the bowl tightly. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Chilling firms up the fat, which is what lets the kebab grip the metal skewer.
2 hr
Get out flat metal skewers. Dip your hands in ice-cold water so the meat does not stick. Take a large handful of the chilled meat dough and press it onto the middle of the skewer.
Using steady finger pressure, work the meat outwards along the skewer into an even cylinder. Pinch firmly at the top and bottom to lock the meat onto the metal.
Elevate a heavy-gauge grill pan or commercial tawa to a sustained medium-high thermal output. Deposit a micro-layer of fat via brushing.
Lay the loaded skewers on the hot surface. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning them every 2 minutes. This cooks them evenly and gives dark char marks all the way round.
10–12 min2 min
In the last 2 minutes, baste the outside generously with melted butter. This gives a glossy finish and keeps the kebabs juicy.
2 min
Holding the skewer with a piece of kitchen paper, press down gently to slide the kebabs off cleanly. Serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

The outside should be rugged, well roasted and lightly crusty, giving way to a dense but tender, very juicy, well-spiced inside.

Getting it right

Tip

Chef's Tip: Seekh kebabs need mince with about 20% fat in it. With leaner meat they come out dry and rubbery. Kneading the mince hard and getting the water out of it is what keeps them on the skewer instead of dropping into the fire.

What to serve it with

A dish for a proper feast. Serve hot with onion rings, lemon wedges, a good mint chutney and soft roomali roti.

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